[CQ-Contest] how i messed up my audio

[Larry N7DF]

I have an FT 1000 MP MK V and have always tried to keep the SSB audio peaked to the best communications quality I can achieve.
I have been pleased numerous times to receive unsolicited favorable comments about the audio quality.
Last night I was surprised to get a call from another NM station that my audio was really bad, in fact almost unreadable.
I started checking and, listening on the MONITOR circuit, found that he was right.  After checking further I found that, instead of turning the RF gain fully open after a previous QSO I had turned the processor gain fully clockwise.  (The two controls are side-by-side)
I would probably not have realized the mistake for quite awhile if he had not told me.
I, for one, really appreciate critical comments on signal quality.
On the other hand I have also found that the noise blankers and DSP can definitely give false signal quality indications.
I often have a 20 over 9 noise level here from power lines and have to keep the noise blanker on my FT at level B-15 to hear anything on 160 or 80.   At this setting any nearby CW signal louder than the background noise will cause clicks.  It makes things very difficult but, by switching off the RF preamplifier when there are nearby strong signals I can reduce the problem.


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